Ever wonder what song motivates the marathon world record holder?

What does marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge listen to when he’s in the mood for some tunes? 2002 American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson. In a series called A Day in the Life with: Eliud Kipchoge Part 2, Kipchoge revealed his favourite song and artist.

He told SportPesa News, “I’m not a big fan of music but sometimes I listen to Kelly Clarkson. She sang a beautiful and strong song, What cannot kill you can only make you stronger, that is the best among my favourite songs.”

However, Kipchoge continued to say that he doesn’t like listening to music when he runs. He finds there’s a lot on his mind when he is about to race, and racing needs his full attention.

Malcolm Gladwell (left) and Dave Reid coming into the finish at an Ontario school race in 1978. Photo: Bob Olsen.

Musical taste aside, the music versus no music debate while running is a highly contested one. Malcolm Gladwell famously told Outside Magazine last year, “I think it’s soft to run with music,” he says. “It’s people who are running from their running. They’re trying to distract themselves while they’re running. That seems to me—what’s the point? If you don’t want to run, if the act of running is so terrifying to you that you need to blast music in your ears, then you should be doing something else.”